KPK seizes Rp610 million in cash from Cilacap regent accused of extorting local government units for holiday allowances
Jakarta (ANTARA) — Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has seized cash totalling Rp610 million, allegedly obtained through coercion by Cilacap Regent Syamsul Auliya Rachman in extorting local government units within the regency to raise funds for holiday allowances (THR).
“The team secured evidence in the form of documents, electronic evidence, and cash totalling Rp610 million,” said KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu at a press conference in Jakarta on Saturday evening.
The case originated from a public complaint. Auliya Rachman, as Cilacap regent, allegedly instructed Cilacap Regency Regional Secretary Sadmoko Danardono to collect funds for the distribution of holiday allowances to himself and external parties.
“The external parties referred to here are the regional leadership communications forum (forkopimda) within the Cilacap regency administration,” he said.
In response, Danardono, together with Assistant I Sumbowo, Assistant II Ferry Adhi Dharma, and Assistant III Budi Santoso, discussed the required amount for external holiday allowances. From these discussions, the external holiday allowance requirement was determined at Rp515 million. To meet this need, the three assistants requested funds from each local government unit in Cilacap Regency, targeting total collections of Rp750 million.
“Cilacap Regency has 25 local government units, two regional general hospitals, and 20 health centres,” Asep explained.
“Some local government units either made instalment payments or engaged in negotiations, as many currently lack budgetary provisions,” he added.
The collection amount from each unit was determined based on considerations by Ferry Adhi Dharma. If a unit could not meet the required amount, it had to report to Dharma for review and adjustment of the initial target.
Additionally, the regional secretary instructed the three assistants to communicate and coordinate that collections from the regent regarding personal and external holiday allowance needs must be completed by 13 March 2026. The regent wanted the allowances collected before the 2026 Lebaran holiday period. Units failing to deposit funds would be chased by the assistants within their respective jurisdictions, with assistance from the Civil Police and Food Security Office heads.
“Thus, Rp610 million had been collected by that period. Whilst the external requirement of Rp515 million had been met, the target of Rp750 million remained unfulfilled,” Asep said.
The collected funds were to be handed by Ferry Adhi Dharma to the regional secretary for distribution as holiday allowances to external parties. During the hand-catch operation (OTT) on Friday (13 March), the KPK discovered funds already packed in bags stored at Dharma’s private residence.
Additionally, some funds newly received by Dharma from local government unit deposits were secured from his office workspace.
The KPK has designated the regent and regional secretary as suspects, charged with violations of Article 12(e) and/or Article 12B of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Corruption Eradication juncto Article 20(c) of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code.
Meanwhile, Ferry Adhi Dharma, Sumbowo, and Budi Santoso were also arrested during the hand-catch operation on Friday (13 March) in Cilacap, Central Java, and brought to Jakarta for intensive examination at the KPK’s Red and White Building.